Lake Whatcom inter-trust exchange subject of public hearing May 9 Exchange would consolidate state trusts’ lands

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public hearing in Bellingham to provide information and receive testimony on the proposed Lake Whatcom Inter-trust Exchange.

Public hearing details

What:

DNR will hold a public hearing to receive public testimony. Proposed is an exchange of state trust designations. State Forest Transfer trust lands will be exchanged with other state trust parcels, all in the Whatcom County Lake Whatcom landscape. The trusts involved in the exchange are: Common School Trust, Scientific School Trust, State Forest Purchase Trust and Capitol Grant Trust to be exchanged for equal-valued State Forest Transfer trust properties.

If this phase is completed, Whatcom County may request the Reconveyance of State Forest Transfer trust lands within the Lake Whatcom landscape to be used as a public park. The newly configured Common School and other trust parcels will remain in state ownership and be managed by DNR on behalf of the trust beneficiaries.

Written testimony must be received by 4:30 p.m. on May 31, 2011, and addressed to the Washington State Department of Natural Resource, Asset & Property Management Division, ATTN: Lake Whatcom Inter-Trust Exchange, PO Box 47014, Olympia, WA 98504-7014. You may email comments to: lakewhatcomreconvey@dnr.wa.gov

The final determination of the parcels to be exchanged will be based on equal values. A summary of testimony will be presented to the Board of Natural Resources when it reviews and considers the proposal. If approved by the Board of Natural Resources, the inter-trust exchange will position the new State Forest Transfer trust parcels for potential future reconveyance (a type of transfer from state to county) and block up Common School and other state trust lands for more efficient long-term management.

Information about the Proposed Lake Whatcom Inter-trust Exchange, and proposed ‘Reconveyance’ is available on the DNR website (www.dnr.wa.gov), under the Proposed Lake Whatcom Reconveyance, at: http://1.usa.gov/fwrwAS. A factsheet also is available.

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